Cricket: India looks to shorten NZ tour

New Zealand are likely to be short-changed by India on their tour early next year.

The schedule was laid down under the International Cricket Council's Future Tours Programme as comprising three tests, five ODIs and a T20.

However, the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India is keen to accept an offer to host the Asia Cup from late February.

To that end, India are looking to trim the New Zealand trip to two tests, two ODIs and two T20s, a reduction from 21 days of cricket to 14.

India's last visit to New Zealand in early 2009 included three tests, five ODIs and two T20s.

Their next visit is not due until February-March 2019.

New Zealand Cricket have been in talks with the BCCI, but chief executive David White's reaction yesterday in a statement was that "discussions are still ongoing and we are working through the details of the tour".

The BCCI boss, N. Srinivasan, is also president of the Asian Cricket Council.

Media, entertainment and sports company Nimbus had a deal to broadcast all international cricket from New Zealand until 2020 through its subsidiary, NEO.

That starts with the three tests against England, which begin in Dunedin on Wednesday.White last night confirmed the Indian deal for the next seven years.

The Herald has been told that deal, in the pipeline for months, had not been signed off until confirmation of the shortened tour to New Zealand was received from the BCCI.The broadcasters also hold the rights to the Asia Cup, so are looking at a win-win situation.

However, compensation should be coming NZC's way.

Tours by India are the most lucrative for opposing nations given the size of its broadcasting markets.

The domestic HRV Cup may also be on the Indian radar. The T20 leagues from Australia, Sri Lanka, England and Bangladesh already screen live in India.

The Asia Cup is a 50-over tournament comprising defending champions Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, and next year is the 12th edition of an event which began in 1983-84.

New Zealand are also hosting the West Indies next summer, over December-January, which is due to feature three tests, five ODIs and a T20.